A boy in need
by Echoing Dreams
Summary: When Alec finds a Shadowhunter boy injured in the streets he helps him, only to find the boy is homeless and helpless with no family. But he risks trusting Alec, and a bond grows between them and Magnus. What happens when the boy has to leave? Boyxboy.
1. Chapter 1

Alec Lightwood whistled a cheery tune as he strolled down the street in his typical jeans and t-shirt. The ruins on his arms were glamoured from human view, just like the blade sticking out of his pocket. It was a typical day for 20 year old Alec, who was currently on his way to his boyfriend's house. Magnus was waiting for him for they had a date tonight, and Alec was in a great mood.

He was halfway to his boyfriend's house when a noise caught his attention. Just as he passed by a small alley he noticed a young boy laying sprawled on the ground. The noise he'd heard was the boy trying to drag himself from the alley.

Now of course, being a Shadowhunter, Alec's first reaction was to gaze around in search of danger. There were no demons in sight, so Alec hurried to the boy's side. As gently as he could, he rolled the boy onto his back.

He looked about 12 years old, with long brown hair. He seemed pretty innocent despite the blood on his face. Alec was just about to pick the boy up to bring him to the local hospital when he noticed for the first time something strange about the boy. Frowning slightly, Alec let his mind clear, and peeled back the layer of glamour the boy had around himself. When it was gone, Alec found, his great surprise that the boy's skin was covered in the black swirling ruins of a Shadowhunter.

Alec hesitated now, not sure what to do. But before he could move, the boy's eyelids opened to reveal light blue eyes. He boy starred up at Alec in fear.

"Relax, I'm not going to hurt you. I'm a Shadowhunter too." Alec murmured, but the boy still starred at him in fright, as if he thought Alec would hurt him. Alec's frown deepened, but before he could speak again, the shuffling sound of a demon's walk sounded behind him.

Growling, Alec spun around and drew his blade. The demon already had blood on it's claws, and Alec somehow knew that this was the beast that had already harmed the boy. Alec felt a flare of anger inside him, he had to protect the boy, and he wouldn't let this monster live another moment.

It was almost to easy now to kill the stupid demon. It was alone, and Alec had been trained to fight demons since he was old enough to hold a blade.

As soon as the demon was gone, Alec put his blade away and turned back to the boy. He had moved, and was sitting up against the wall, curled up in a right ball with his arms around his legs, starring up at Alec with those scared blue eyes.

"Look, just calm down okay? I promise on the angel I will not hurt you. I have my stele, I can heal those wounds." Alec said, gazing worriedly at the cuts on the boy's forehead and arm.

Slowly, the boy nodded and held out his arm first.

Carefully as he could Alec drew a healing ruin above the cut. He took the time to look over the poor boy. He was horribly skinny and obviously weak, his face pale with dark shadows under his eyes like he hardly slept. It was a horrible sight.

When Alec had finished healing the boy he sat beside him. "I'm Alec. Alec Lightwood." he introduced himself, hoping to calm the still scared boy.

"Danté." the boy whispered.

"Do you have a last name Danté?" he asked.

"No." was the only reply Alec got.

"Where do you live? I can take you to the Institute, we can get you some food there. Your so thin. Don't your parents look after you?" he asked.

Danté hesitated then met and held Alec's gaze with his own. "Can I trust you? Swear by the angel that I can trust you, that you won't hurt me or scorn me." he whispered.

Confused, Alec nodded. "I swear by the angel that I will not hurt you, or scorn you no matter what." he promised.

A flicker of hope entered the boy's eyes. "I have no parents. They died when I was seven. I've been living in an abandoned house, and I've been getting food from an old women who lived next door. But three months ago the women died and someone bought the house and chased me out. Now I'm scared and confused, and I have no clue what to do now. I can't get food and I don't know how to fight at all. Please help me." Danté whispered, tears flooding his eyes.

Shocked speechless, Alec reached out and hugged the poor boy close as he began to sob. "Shh, shh, it's okay, everything will be okay, I'll make sure of it." he murmured softly.

It took a while, but Alec finally got the boy to calm down. "Listen Danté. I can take you back to the Institute, we'll have to notify the clave about you, but they won't hurt you either. My parents will make sure your well taken care of." Alec told him.

The panic that had left the boys eyes a while ago flooded them again. "No! You can't leave me! Please don't leave me!" he cried.

"Okay, okay. Calm down, I won't leave you." Alec promised, helping the boy to his feet. "Come on now." he encouraged

Sniffing, Danté stood, and followed close beside Alec as the older boy led him towards the Institute. Alec only remembered why he had been out in the first place when they were already on the steps of the building. Quickly Alec sent a text to his boyfriend to explain, then continued to lead Danté on.

Magnus showed up just as Alec got Danté settled on the couch with a plate of food. He'd already found some of his old clothes for the boy to wear, and healed all of the boy's smaller injuries. He'd called the clave as soon as they had arrived, but they wouldn't be there for at least a week, if not longer.

Danté had calmed down a bit as he watched TV from the couch, enough to let Alec stand at the door when Magnus arrived, though he often checked to make sure Alec was still there.

"Hey. This is him?" Magnus asked softly, as he entered the room and stood beside Alec.

"Yeah. His names Danté. He's really shy though, and spooked. He's refusing to let anyone but me within three meters of him. He's really scared, I think it took every scrap of will the poor kid had just to trust me." Alec murmured. He was happy that his boyfriend wasn't extremely sparkly today, that would have just scared the boy ever more. Thankfully Magnus had his hair down, and his makeup was simple, nothing to much, at least for Magnus.

Danté looked up to check on Alec just then, and shrank down when he saw Magnus in the room, just like he'd done when Mayrse, Isabelle and Jace had come in. Frowning Alec went to the boy, gesturing for Magnus to follow. Alec crouched down beside the couch and met Danté's once again scared gaze. "Danté it's okay. This is Magnus, he's a friend of mine. He won't hurt you, I promise. You can trust him." Alec told him, holding the boys gaze.

Danté hesitated for a long moment, then nodded, and looked up at Magnus, who smiled warmly at the boy. "Hello Danté," he said softly.

Danté nodded again, fear still clouding his eyes. He gathered his courage as much as he could, and met the man's gaze only to ask, "Why are you so sparkly?"

Magnus was laughed so hard Alec worried about him for a moment, but when he finally composed himself, he was grinning. "I'm a warlock boy, and sparkles just come naturally to me." was his only reply.


	2. Chapter 2

A week passed, and Danté remained at the Institute. Gradually he accepted Magnus, but that was all. He only allowed Alec and Magnus near him, and was only relaxed and calm if they were the only ones in the room. Alec grew very fond of the boy during that time. He spent most of his time with the poor kid, and not just because Danté only let him out of his sight for sort periods of time. Magnus didn't mind his boyfriend spending so much time the boy, for he had always liked kids, and he too had grown fond of Danté.

A week and a half after Danté had arrived, Magnus entered the Institute to find Alec and Danté standing side by side, each with a blade in their hand as Alec taught the boy how to fight with them. Enjoying the sight Magnus curled up on the couch and cuddled Church as he watched them. With just the three of them in the room, Danté was smiling and laughing, listening intently to what Alec told him. Already the boy had gained some weight and didn't look as deathly skinny.

The door to the room opened in the middle of the lesson, and Mayrse poked her head into the room. "The Silent Brothers are here." she said, and left.

"Who are the Silent Brothers?" Danté asked.

Alec was hesitant to explain, but told the boy the truth.

Danté only agreed to meet them if Alec and Magnus both went with him, and so the three went to the library together.

Mayrse, Robert and two Silent Brothers were waiting for them. Upon seeing the two men, Danté shrank close to Alec.

An hour passed as they discussed what would happen to the abandoned Shadowhunter boy.

_Mayrse, Robert, I don't think it would be fair to keep him here. The two of you have been busy lately, and it wouldn't be fair to Danté if he was to stay here. I think we should bring him to Idris, we'll find someone willing to take him in there. _One of the Silent Brothers said.

Before anyone could say anything in response to him, Danté began to freaked out. "No! No I can't leave! I won't go, I can't!" he cried, clinging to Alec. "Why can't I stay with Alec and Magnus? I trust them! I want to stay with them!" the boy cried.

_My boy, you are young, you need a family to take care of you and raise you. _The second Silent Brother told him kindly.

"Why can't I have a family with Magnus and Alec?" Danté cried.

There was silence for a long moment before Alec pulled Danté out of the room. "We'll be right back, I need to speak with him for a moment." he said, Magnus followed. Once in the hallway Alec crouched down so he was eye level with the boy. Magnus put his hand on Danté's shoulder.

"Listen Danté. You know how fond of you Magnus and I are, but it's not a good idea for you to stay with us." Alec told him gently.

"Why not?" Danté asked, his eyes wide and hurt.

Alec sighed, but decided to tell the boy the truth. "Not all members of the Clave like Magnus and I, Danté. There are a few who dislike us, because we're not the same as them. Magnus isn't just my friend, he's my boyfriend, and because of that some of the members of the Clave don't respect us like they should. If you were to stay with us, those people would treat you the same way they treat us, and neither of us wants that for you. If you go to Idris with the Silent Brothers you'll get a nice Shadowhunter family to take care of you." he told him gently.

For a few moments, Danté simply starred at Alec and Magnus with his bright blue eyes. "I don't care. I don't have to be respected by everyone, I only need to be respected by myself and those I care about. I want to stay with you two." he told them fiercely, and Alec had to admit his he was proud at the determination in his eyes.

But he was so surprised that for a few moments he couldn't speak, only watch as Magnus hugged the boy close. Over Danté's head, Magnus looked at him. Alec gave him a questioning look and raised one eyebrow. Ever so slightly, Magnus nodded. Both of them were smiling as they led Danté back into the library were the Silent Brothers waited.

"I want to stay with Magnus and Alec." Danté announced stubbornly, once more.

Before the Silent Brothers could speak Magnus spoke up. "Alec and I would gladly take in Danté if the Clave will allow it." he said.

The Silent Brothers and Lightwoods were both shocked into silence. Finally, one of the Silent Brothers spoke up. _The Clave doesn't have to allow it, we decide what happens in these situations. As for this one . . . _The second Silent Brother drew papers from his pocket. _Sign these and you will be Dant_é_'s legal guardians. _

The papers were signed right away.


	3. Chapter 3

Not long later it was hard to tell that Dante had only met Magnus and Alec only a few months ago. His bedroom in Magnus's apartment was cluttered with clothes and everything else Alec and Magnus had bought him. He bickered and laughed with his adopted parents like he had known them forever, and he relaxed enough to be around other people. Chairman Meow was his loyal shadow, never far behind the boy who always bent down to pet or cuddle the cat. It was a very cute routine that boy and cat had fallen into.

Alec had never expected to be a parent. He'd always assumed he'd never have children. But having Danté made his life even more enjoyable then her ever thought possible. The boy was determined and courageous, set on becoming the best Shadowhunter he could be. The weight that he desperately needed was gained in muscle, and Alec soon found it hard to beat him when they practiced their fighting.

Danté didn't care that his father was usually very sparkly with spiked hair, or that his parents were gay.

He loved them, and they loved him.

They were a family, and that is how it would be forever on.


End file.
